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After a short stall, the heat is back on for Hot Luck, the Texas festival combining live fire cooking and music. A new preliminary lineup reveals who will cook on October 16 and 17, with more information to come about the music lineup.

Hot Luck started as a collaboration between pitmaster Aaron Franklin, Guerilla Suit creative agency principal James Moody, and co-founder of Feast Portland Mike Thelin. In 2026, as Memorial Day weekend crept up — the time the festival would usually be held — festival organizers had still not announced dates or a lineup. Finally, a few days before the holiday, organizers posted a save-the-date on social media, this time for October. In mid-June, People Inc. announced that it acquired the festival.

That makes this the first Hot Luck lineup under new management. Franklin and Moody remain on the team, so many of the relationships that gave Hot Luck its flavor appear to have been preserved. And this lineup wants for nothing in terms of local, regional, and even national acclaim.

The initial chef lineup for Hot Luck 2026 is as follows:

• Aaron Bludorn (Bludorn)
• Becky Masson (Fluff Bake Bar)
• Bob Somsith (Lao’d Bar)
• Calvin Eng (Bonnie's)
• Caroline Glover (Annette)
• Deau Arpapornnopparat (Holy Basil)
• Edgar Rico (Nixta Taqueria)
• Ernest Servantes (Burnt Bean Co.)
• Emil Oliva (Leche de Tigre)
• Evan LeRoy (LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue)
• Fermín Núñez (Este)
• Kevin Fink (Emmer & Rye)
• Kyle Knall (Birch)
• Lawrence "LT" Smith (Chilte)
• Mason Hereford (Turkey and the Wolf)
• Mago Perez (Paprika)
• Mariela Camacho (Comadre Panadería)
• Hayden Higginbothem Perez (Paprika)
• Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Canje)
• Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel (Birdie's)
• Todd Duplechan (Lenoir / Dovetail Pizza)

This year, the Austin festival is shorter than it had been previously, with only two days to work with. The first is Giddy Up, the fest's "signature live-fire feast," a press release says, held Friday at Franklin Barbecue. Guests will be able to walk around and try bites, just like an actual potluck. That night, musical artists will take the stage at The Mohawk venue for one central musical event. Then on Saturday, a larger event at Assembly Hall called the House Party sets up a similar tasting extravaganza.

Returning fans may notice that the festival's more outdoorsy tastings, which are usually held farther from downtown Austin, are no longer on the menu. With little information about music so far, fans might think the music portion has been condensed; however, the release promises "additional participating music venues throughout the weekend."

"The best part of Hot Luck has always been getting a bunch of incredibly talented people together and letting them cook, play music, and have a good time," said Franklin in the release. "Every year takes on a life of its own, and we're looking forward to welcoming everybody back to Austin this October."

With fewer events on the lineup, passes to Hot Luck are also less expensive this year. The Whole Enchilada Pass, which includes everything, plus early access to the House Party, is available for $349. (That's compared to $525.99 in 2025.) Family passes ($700 for two adults and two "kids" 20 and under) and youngster passes ($100 for people aged 13-20) are also available. Tickets benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation, an organization that broadly supports people who work in hospitality and their families.